Articles by Jonah McKeown
The Disappearing People
Sep 21, 2020 / 00:00 amNow more than ever, Christianity is at risk of disappearing from the Middle East. This week on CNA Newsroom, we bring you the stories of Middle Eastern Christians who are peacefully standing their ground to protect their homeland, their people, and their faith.
Catholics respond after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87
Sep 18, 2020 / 17:55 pmSupreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who served on the court for more than 27 years, died of pancreatic cancer Sept. 18. She was 87.
Advocacy group hails Israel-Bahrain deal as 'positive step' for Middle East Christians
Sep 16, 2020 / 16:19 pmAn advocacy group for Christians and other religious minorities living in the Middle East this week praised an agreement between Israel and Bahrain, which comes on the heels of a similar agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Catholic aid groups decry court decision that allows deportations
Sep 15, 2020 / 15:54 pmCatholic aid groups are expressing disappointment at a recent court decision that furthers the end of temporary protected status for immigrants from certain countries, saying that ending TPS will likely lead to the separation of thousands of families.
After the Blast
Sep 14, 2020 / 00:00 amIn early August, something happened in Lebanon that no one expected— a massive explosion destroyed many of the city's predominantly Christian neighborhoods. Lebanon is known as a place where Christians and Muslims live together in relative peace. What will happen next?
Man who went on vandalism spree at Louisiana Catholic church arrested
Sep 11, 2020 / 13:57 pmA man who went on an hours-long vandalism spree on Wednesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Tioga, Louisiana has been arrested and has confessed to the crime, according to local authorities.
A Catholic healthcare worker objected to contraception. Her Catholic clinic fired her.
Sep 10, 2020 / 02:01 amA young Portland, Oregon area medical professional this year was fired for objecting to certain medical procedures on the grounds of her Catholic faith.
Idaho farmer-turned-missionary now serves the state’s poor
Sep 9, 2020 / 23:23 pmBoise, Idaho is one of the fastest growing boomtowns in the U.S. The state as a whole is increasing in population by 2% or more each year as more and more people come for the relatively cheap cost of living and natural beauty of the state.
SF archbishop: City’s worship restrictions show ‘callous unconcern’ for spiritual needs
Sep 4, 2020 / 17:00 pmArchbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco said Friday that the city’s current restrictions on public worship— which prohibit indoor services of any kind, as opposed to other entities such as retail which have been allowed to reopen indoor operations— show “callous unconcern” for people’s spiritual needs.
San Francisco ministry to share Catholic teaching on end-of-life
Sep 3, 2020 / 15:01 pmThe Archdiocese of San Francisco is set to begin training volunteers who will help parishes support Catholics in making end-of-life decisions for themselves and loved ones, informed by Catholic teaching about death.
Catholic students offer support after arson at University of Delaware Jewish center
Sep 3, 2020 / 03:00 amThe Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Newark, Delaware was damaged by arson in the late evening hours of Aug. 25. The building, which serves Jewish students of the University of Delaware, was unoccupied at the time, and no one was hurt.
Podcasts, new LGBT ministry win big at Catholic entrepreneurship competition
Sep 1, 2020 / 02:00 amSeveral Catholic entrepreneurs this week were awarded $100,000 each as investment in project ideas “that will make a profound impact on the Church and the world.”
Back to (home)school
Aug 31, 2020 / 00:00 amWe talk with a few Catholic schools about how they are approaching in-person and distance education. Then, many families are trying homeschooling for the first time this year. We talk with a few homeschooling veterans about what new homeschoolers can expect.
Secular pro-life group to talk abortion, police violence, and more at annual conference
Aug 28, 2020 / 15:50 pmRehumanize International, a secular pro-life organization, is set to begin its annual conference Saturday with an eye to life topics such as abortion, assisted suicide, and the death penalty, as well as police violence and torture.
Who is Chen Guangcheng? Chinese human rights activist to speak at RNC
Aug 26, 2020 / 16:07 pmOne of the featured speakers at the Republican National Convention on Aug. 26 will be Chen Guangcheng, a Chinese lawyer and human rights advocate who has been an outspoken critic of the Chinese government— particularly its policy of forced abortions and sterilizations.
Catholics plead for Navajo man on eve of scheduled execution
Aug 25, 2020 / 17:01 pmCatholics are joining Native American leaders in calling for mercy for a Navajo man who is sentenced to die in a federal execution this week. The Navajo Nation objects to the execution.
My baptism was valid...right?
Aug 24, 2020 / 16:24 pmLast week, the news broke that Father Matthew Hood of the Archdiocese of Detroit had this summer learned that he was not validly baptized— despite believing that he had been ordained a priest in 2017.
All Creatures Great and Small
Aug 24, 2020 / 00:00 amMost of us associate St. Francis of Assisi with animals. But did you know St. Philip Neri also cared for animals, and even had some pets of his own? Have you ever wondered if you'll see your pet in heaven? We bring the question to two theologians. And finally, two priests tell us about their pet dogs.
Notre Dame classes go online for two weeks amid rising COVID-19 cases
Aug 21, 2020 / 03:00 amThe University of Notre Dame on Tuesday announced a two-week hiatus from in-person class instruction, amid a growing number of COVID-19 infections on campus. Some alumni, students, and faculty are calling on university president Father John Jenkins to suspend in-person classes altogether and move instruction online for the remainder of the semester.
San Francisco churches adapt to 12-person outdoor Mass limit
Aug 19, 2020 / 16:01 pmParishes in San Francisco, including the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, have been holding concurrent outdoor Masses in order to adapt to the city’s COVID-19 health orders.